Attachments for spools of thread



Nov. 8, 1966 B. 1.. SNYDER ATTACHMENTS FOR SPOOLS OF THREAD Filed March31. 1965 FIG.!

FIGS

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FIG.9

FIG.8

INVENTOR, Ben omm L.Snyde;

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Oflfice 3,283,976 Patented Nov. 8, 1966 3,283,976ATTACHMENTS FOR SPOOLS F THREAD Benjamin L. Snyder, Brookline, Mass.,assignor to Pentapco, Inc., Elizabeth, NJ a corporation of New JerseyFiled Mar. 31, 1965, Ser. No. 444,322 1 Claim. (Cl. 22564) The presentinvention relates to attachments set into the hole of a spool of thread,to serve as devices to deal with the thread and to limit undesirablespool movement.

The principal object of this invention is to provide novel and improvedattachments for spools of thread, to lock the thread from unraveling,ofler a cutting edge for severing a length of unwound thread and keepthe spool from rolling should it fall or be placed horizontally.

Another object thereof is to provide thread spool attachments of thecharacter mentioned, which are simple in construction, reasonable incost to manufacture, easy to use and eflicient in carrying out thepurposes for which they are designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosureproceeds.

For one practice of this invention, the attachment comprises a nipplehaving a flange at one end. This flange is elongated, the nipple isbetween the ends of the flange and nearer to one end than the other. Thenipple is adapted to be set into the spools hole for frictionalengagement therein. The length of the flange is such that one endthereof is well within the confines of the end face of the spool whichit contacts, but its other end over-hangs the spool, as a radiallyextending tooth. The shape of the flange is that of a tear drop, withits apex end serving as said extending tooth. In other embodimentsillustrated herein, said tooth presents cutting edges. Said nipple mayhave lengthwise slits upwardly from its free end.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is an inverted perspective view of a thread spool attachmentembodying teachings of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a spool of thread equipped withsaid attachment, in use as a thread lock, releasably securing the freeend of the thread. Also shown, the nature of the material of saidattachment permitting, the flange part of the attachment may serve as atemporary pin cushion."

FIG. 3 is an upright section of the attachment taken at line 33 in FIG.1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a spool of thread equipped with anattachment of slightly modified form, shown in use as a thread lock andthread cutter.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the attachment included in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a section taken at line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of another attachment construction.

FIG. 8 is a section taken at line 8-8 in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an end view of a horizontally positioned spool of threadcombined with any of the attachments shown herein, lying on surface.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates generally a nipple having anoutward flange denoted generally by the numeral 16, at one of its ends.This flange is preferably tear-shaped and said nipple is concentric withthe broader end of said flange whose radius is less than that of an endof a spool of thread into which said nipple is frictionally fitted sosaid flange contacts the end face 17 of the spool 18. The distance fromthe axis of the nipple 15 to the apex end of the tear shape, exceeds theradius of the spool end and so said flange over-hangs the spool,presenting a sort of tooth-form 19 extending laterally of the spoolbody. The attachment indicated generally by the numeral 20, may be ofplastic or metal or other suitable material. The nipple-form ispreferred for 15, because the spool 18 equipped with the attachment 20,may be set on the axis pin provided for the spool on a sewing machine orin rack or box structures used to carry a collection of spools. -If theattachment is for example of polyethylene, it may serve as a temporarypin cushion for a needle 21, as shown in FIG. 2. If desired, a solidstem may be used in place of the nipple 15, but the nipple-form ispreferred because when slitted as at 22, and the item 20 beingpreferably of material having some resilient quality, a betterfrictional grip is attained to holdthe attachment 20 on a spool. It isof course preferred, and in the embodiments illustrated, the attachment20 is removable so when the thread is spent, said attachment can beapplied to another spool of thread.

The attachments designated generally by the numerals 20 and 20" are like20, with a provision to serve as thread cutters. The notch 23 in thedistal free end of the flange 16' offers a sharp notch vertex 23' onwhich to sever the unwound portion 24 of the thread 24. The notch 25 inthe distal free end of the flange 16" is crossed by a metal blade 26which is embedded in the flange body, presenting the cutting edge 26'.Also, the distal free end region having the notch is an upward step onthe flange, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, so the cutter is spaced from thespool face when within the confines of the perimeter of the spool face,and so with use of this device on larger spools, access is free to thecutter means, for when the flange is flat, the cutter means would restsubstantially against the spool face and be unaccessible to do its work.The step would then also allow the free end of the thread to be enteredbetween the flange and the spool face to avoid unraveling. Without suchstep, the thread would be stopped at the flange perimeter.

With about a turn of thread unwound from the spool 18, the lead end 24"is pulled to tighten the thread as it is set under the flange 16 andgiven a partial turn around the nipple 15 as shown in FIG. 2. This locksthe thread from unraveling. To look the thread and then cut off theunwound portion 24, it is arranged as shown in FIG. 4, when theattachments used are of the types shown in FIGS. 5 and 7.

When the spool of thread equipped with one of the attachments taughtherein, is set horizontally on a table, or if it falls off a table, itwill in most instances roll less than one revolution, because it ishampered by the extending tooth portion 19 when the latter contacts thesupporting surface 26.

This invention is capable of various forms and applications withoutdeparting from the essential features herein disclosed. It is thereforeintended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shall be deemedmerely illustrative and not restrictive, and that the patent shall coverall patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to thefollowing claim rather than J to the specific showings and descriptionherein to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

In combination with a thread spool of the type having a central holetherethrough and top and bottom end faces, a generally resilient elementhaving a flat portion and opposite end portions; said flat portionfacing and in contact with the top end face of the spool between the endportions; one end portion of said element being an upward step overlyingthe spool end, the top of said step being located in a plane which isabove and substantially parallel to the plane of the flat portion; saidstep being provided with a notch, a separate fiat blade fixedly carriedby said step in the general plane of said step and crossing said notch,said blade having a sharp edge for severing a thread when forcedthereagainst; the space between said step and the plane of the top endface of the spool being unobstructed to permit the free end of thethread to be entered between the top face and the flat portion; thespace between said blade edge and said plane being unobstructed, andmeans at the other end of said element, in frictional engagement withthe wall of the central hole of the spool whereby said element ismounted on the spool.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 367,03 5 7/1887Fox 22563 649,180 5/ 1900 Robinson 22564 752,845 2/ 1904 Laird 225631,044,014 11/1912 Butts 242125.2 2,058,536 10/1936 Wasseen. 2,195,3163/1940 Marick et al 223-109 2,265,126 12/ 1941 Bersche 242-1252 2,757,451 8/ 1956 Johnson.

FOREIGN PATENTS 600,200 4/ 1948 Great Britain.

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

MERVIN STEIN, STANLEY N. GILREATH,

Examiners.

G. F. MAUTZ, Assistant Examiner.

